Movie review: 'Hotel Artemis' is worth checking out

Dana Barbuto The Patriot Ledger

Friday

Jun 8, 2018 at 3:03 AM

“Hotel Artemis” might have a member’s only clientele, but it’s no Ritz-Carlton. Nope. It’s a California hotel/hospital to mend injured criminals who can’t visit any old ER. The number one rule at the Artemis is no killing other patients. Yup, this could be heaven or it could be hell. Turns out writer-director Drew Pearce has the latter on his mind.

In his first outing behind the camera, Pearce (“Iron Man 3”) shows he knows his way around blood splatter and B-movie kicks. The story takes place over one summer night in 2028 in the wake of the worst riot in Los Angeles history as restless citizens savagely protest a water shortage.

Jodie Foster, simply named Nurse, is the longtime proprietor of Hotel Artemis, backed by her muscular and loyal orderly, Everest (Dave Bautista). Seeking treatment there are an unlucky bank robber (Sterling K. Brown), his younger brother (Bryan Tyree), a beautiful assassin (Sofia Boutella) and a mouthy arms dealer (Charlie Day). En route is an emergency “code red” (Jeff Goldblum, playing a mob boss called The Wolf King). Milton native Jenny Slate also rolls with a wound and a past connection to Nurse. It doesn’t take long before this average Wednesday night goes to hell in a hand basket.

The Artemis is drab, dark and feels downright medieval, despite suites carrying names like Acapulco and Honolulu. This is no paradise. Between the cringe-inducing shots of Nurse’s scalpel slicing skin and a violent climax full of acrobatic fight choreography, the movie is not for the squeamish. But it’s a hearty welcome back for Foster, onscreen again in her first role in five years. She’s nearly unrecognizable in old lady prosthetics, doing the senior shuffle when she walks. She might pop a pill or two and chase it with a shot of whiskey. At it for 22 years, Nurse runs a tight ship. Break the rules and you lose your privileges. No bullet removal for you.

Pearce is adept at creating a retro yet futuristic setting and a brisk pace. The big problem with the movie is the script, which gives Nurse a clichéd backstory that feels tacked on, and is revealed through flashbacks that interrupt the flow of the narrative. But, Foster’s presence lends gravitas. Ditto for Brown, the “This Is Us Star” whose film roles keep getting bigger. Both Brown and Bautista inject their characters with a surprising amount of pathos. Still, this isn’t a hotel where you’d want to book a long stay, but it's worth checking out.

Dana Barbuto may be reached at dbarbuto@patriotledger.com or follow her on Twitter @dbarbuto_Ledger.